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Are you trying to use your iPhone but it keeps heating up? Thankfully, there are many ways to deal with an overheating iPhone. Read on to find out why your iPhone gets hot and how you can cool it down. Then, get Avast Mobile Security to help keep resource-hungry malware from infecting your phone and heating it up.
While iPhones are designed to disperse heat, there are several reasons that may be preventing your iPhone from cooling down. Your phone is getting hot most likely due to software issues, battery problems, heavy usage, environmental issues, or malware.
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It’s not just old iPhones that overheat either. I remember my first iPhone overheated within the first month or so. I now know this was due to user error and had nothing to do with my phone. There are some simple rules I now follow to help keep my iPhone in tip-top shape and help stop overheating. In this article, I’ll share them with you, starting with the temperature your iPhone should stay at.
Your iPhone will work best when the ambient temperature is between 32ºF and 95ºF (0ºC and 35ºC). Anything above or below these temperatures for prolonged periods can cause issues — even permanent damage.
Keep your iPhone at a comfortable ambient temperature.
If your iPhone has an outdated operating system (iOS), that may affect its performance and cause your iPhone to overheat. iOS updates help your phone’s overall functionality, ensuring that the latest apps work well and don’t make your device work harder than it should.
iOS and app updates can also help to protect your phone from security risks. Without proper protection, devices are more vulnerable to malicious software — another possible reason your iPhone is heating up.
Phone batteries degrade over time and must work harder to disperse heat. You can check the status of your battery in the settings menu. Depending on the age of your battery, it may be worth replacing it. Your iPhone battery can also overheat if you use an incompatible or faulty charger.
The more apps you have running, the more processing power your iPhone uses. That can contribute to overheating, especially if apps are resource-intensive.
Certain apps and activities require a lot of power to run. Here are two types of apps that can sap your battery and heat up your phone:
Streaming: Streaming content on apps like Netflix and YouTube can consume a lot of your iPhone's power.
Gaming: Playing mobile games, especially with advanced graphics like “Call of Duty: Mobile,” can strain your iPhone’s processor.
If you leave your iPhone in direct sunlight it will overheat — especially if you're using it while it’s exposed. In some cases, your phone may even switch itself off on hot days in a bid to protect its components.
Similarly, your iPhone can overheat from being placed in a tight pocket, an over-packed bag, or even a poorly designed phone case. Phones need adequate airflow to properly function without overheating.
If your iPhone is running hot for no apparent reason, it could be due to a malware infection. In this case, you should remove the virus from your iPhone and take steps to help prevent future infection. Malware doesn’t just slow your phone down and cause overheating, it leaves you open to security issues that can have far worse consequences.
One of the best ways to defend your iPhone is by using antivirus software. Avast Mobile Security for iOS works quietly in the background to help protect your iPhone from resource-hungry malware, hackers, and other security and privacy threats.
When your iPhone gets too hot there are some quick fixes to help cool it down, such as turning it off, removing its case, and fanning it.
Here's what to do when your iPhone overheats:
Switch it off. The easiest way to regulate your iPhone’s temperature is to turn it off so it isn’t using any processing power or putting strain on the battery.
Remove your case. If you have a case, remove your iPhone from its case to improve airflow.
Move it away from any heat sources. Leave it on a flat hard surface away from any heat sources, including direct sunlight. Humans create heat too — don’t put your iPhone back in your pocket until it has cooled down.
Use Airplane mode. Putting your iPhone into Airplane mode turns off its data and Wi-Fi functionality. This will stop most internet-enabled apps from using background data to perform tasks like scanning for updates, which gives your iPhone time to cool.
Unplug your charging cable. Your battery naturally heats when it's plugged in because it’s receiving an electrical charge. Charging an overheating iPhone is like adding fuel to a fire.
Fan your iPhone. Physically fanning your iPhone is a great way to gradually cool it down. However, never put your iPhone in front of an air conditioning unit or in your fridge — the extreme temperature change can cause more problems.
To help prevent your iPhone from overheating, you should keep the software updated, not overload your processor with too much usage, always run a trusted antivirus, and keep it physically cool and ventilated.
Apps can continue running even when you aren’t actively using them. It’s best practice to close apps you aren’t using to prevent unnecessary power usage. You can leave your most frequently used apps open, such as messaging and social media apps.
Here's how to close down your open apps on an iPhone:
To bring up your open apps, swipe up from the bottom of your screen and pause in the middle of your screen.
Swipe up on each app you want to close.
If you have apps you don’t need or use then you should delete them to clear space and be sure they can’t run any background processes.
Here’s how to delete an app on your iPhone:
On your home screen or App Library, touch and hold the app icon.
Tap Remove App > Delete App > Delete.
Clearing app clutter, as well as app cache and junk files, can help speed up your iPhone, so it’s best practice to regularly clean up your iPhone to keep it working more smoothly.
If a virus, spyware, ransomware, or other type of malware makes its way onto your device, it will start using processing power to do its job — not only could your personal information be at risk, but your iPhone could also get too hot.
To help prevent malicious software from being installed on your phone, download a robust security app like Avast Mobile Security for iOS. It will help detect threats from suspicious apps and websites and can stop them before they cause a problem.
Prevent overheating due to heat exposure by keeping your iPhone somewhere cool and away from direct sunlight and other heat sources. If you’re outside on a hot day, place your iPhone in a shady spot. If you have a heater or fire keeping you warm in colder months, keep your phone away from the radiating heat.
Your iPhone’s heat dispersion works best when it has space to “breathe.” Avoid keeping your iPhone under your pillow, in a tightly compacted bag, or even in your clothes pocket.
Keeping your iPhone on a cool, flat surface is a great way to help prevent it from overheating.
When your iPhone overheats it’s often just an inconvenience. But, if you ignore the warning signs that your device needs to cool down, it could lead to permanent damage.
In most cases, your iPhone’s built-in protection will cause your device to turn off when it gets too hot. However, if you regularly let it overheat, its battery and other internal components can start to degrade.
Malware can clog up your iPhone’s resources, making it frustrating to use and a danger to your online security and privacy. Avast Mobile Security for iOS is an advanced security app that will scan your iPhone for viruses and other malware and help keep resource-intensive dangerous software off your phone. You know how to keep your iPhone safer from physical overheating threats — let Avast help take care of the software threats.